I’ve met plenty of travelers at the Baltra arrivals gate who booked a perfectly good flight — to the wrong island for their trip. The air leg is short, but it has more moving parts than people expect.
Flights to Galapagos only leave from mainland Ecuador: Quito (UIO) or Guayaquil (GYE) to Baltra (GPS) or San Cristóbal (SCY). In 2026 just two airlines fly the route, LATAM and Avianca, taking about 2 hours 10 minutes nonstop from Quito and just under 2 hours from Guayaquil. Round-trip fares for foreign visitors typically run $300–$500, before the $20 transit card and $200 park fee.
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Flights to Galapagos: How the Route Works
Here’s the part that surprises people: there are no flights to Galapagos from outside Ecuador. Not from Miami, not from Lima, not from San José. Every visitor lands in Quito or Guayaquil first, then catches a domestic flight out to the islands — and that domestic hop is what this page is about.
Two mainland airports, two island airports. On the mainland you leave from Quito’s Mariscal Sucre International Airport (UIO), high in the Andes, or Guayaquil’s José Joaquín de Olmedo airport (GYE) on the coast. On the islands you land at Baltra (GPS), next to Santa Cruz, or San Cristóbal (SCY), on the edge of Puerto Baquerizo Moreno. Almost every departure is in the morning, and some Quito flights stop in Guayaquil on the way, so check whether yours is nonstop.
Coming from the capital? Our Quito to Galapagos guide walks through that day step by step. If you want someone to fit the flights around your island plans, tell us what you’re after and we’ll send a free quote within 24 hours.
Which Airlines Fly to Galapagos in 2026?
Only two airlines fly to Galapagos from the mainland right now: LATAM and Avianca. Both run daily flights from Quito and Guayaquil to Baltra, and San Cristóbal gets fewer departures a day than Baltra. Compare both airlines on the same dates — on any given day one is often noticeably cheaper.
Local Reality Check: plenty of travel guides — an older version of this page included — still list Equair as a third option. Equair stopped flying in September 2023. If a site quotes you an Equair fare to the islands, its information is out of date, and I’d double-check everything else it tells you.
Can you fly to Galápagos from Peru, Costa Rica or the United States? Not directly. Booking sites show “flights to Galapagos from USA,” but those are always a connection in Quito or Guayaquil — often on two separate tickets, which is exactly when a buffer night on the mainland earns its keep.
Routes: Quito or Guayaquil, Baltra or San Cristóbal
- Quito (UIO) → Baltra (GPS): about 2h10m nonstop. The busiest route and the natural choice if your trip starts on Santa Cruz.
- Guayaquil (GYE) → Baltra (GPS): just under 2 hours. Often a little cheaper, and the stop for some Quito departures.
- Quito or Guayaquil → San Cristóbal (SCY): fewer flights a day, but you land right in town, ready for the San Cristóbal side of the islands.
- In one, out the other: fly into Baltra and home from San Cristóbal (or the reverse). It suits island hopping and saves a ferry ride back.
The rule I give every guest: choose your flights to Galapagos by the island your trip starts on, not by the cheapest fare. A $40 saving that lands you on the wrong island costs you a two-hour ferry and half a day.
Plane Tickets to Galapagos: What They Really Cost
Plane tickets to Galapagos from the mainland typically cost $300–$500 round trip for foreign visitors, and can climb past $600 at peak season or when you book late. Ecuadorian residents pay a lower fare for the same seat — that’s normal, not a scam.
Why so much for flights to Galapagos that last two hours? A handful of daily departures, only two airlines competing, and a separate fare class for non-residents. On top of the ticket, budget $20 for the Transit Control Card and $200 for the national park fee. We add it all up in our Galápagos trip cost guide.
When to Buy Galapagos Plane Tickets
Buy your Galapagos plane tickets two to three months ahead if you can, and earlier for the mid-December to early-January holidays and the June–August season, when the cheapest fares go first. Lock in your international flight before the island leg, and leave a buffer between them: a night in Quito or Guayaquil beats a same-day connection that depends on a long-haul flight arriving on time.
Baggage Rules on Flights to Galapagos Islands
Baggage allowances on flights to Galapagos islands depend on the fare you buy, not the route. Standard economy fares on LATAM and Avianca typically include one checked bag of 23 kg (50 lb) plus a carry-on, while the lightest fares may include only the carry-on. Read the fare details before you pay — adding a bag at the airport costs more.
Before check-in, your checked bag goes through a biosecurity inspection and gets sealed. Leave fresh fruit, seeds, plants and soil at home; they’ll be taken off you to protect the islands. And if you plan to use the small inter-island planes, pack light from the start.
Which Airport? The Short Version
Fly into Baltra if your trip starts on Santa Cruz, and into San Cristóbal if it starts there. That’s all you need for booking. For terminals, transfers and what each airport is like, see our Galapagos Islands airport guide; for the full journey from home, read how to get to the Galápagos Islands.
6-Day Galapagos Land Tour Santa Cruz + Isabela Highlights
From $1,150 p.p.
- Sleep in island hotels, not a cruise cabin
- Local naturalist guides
- Flexible day-by-day island hopping
Flights Between the Islands — and Why None Go to Floreana
Once you’re here, the small airline EMETEBE flies propeller planes between Baltra, San Cristóbal and Isabela. Expect roughly $175 and up per leg for foreign visitors and a strict luggage limit, often around 25–30 lb — check the current rules when you book. If a two-hour speedboat crossing sounds rough, the small planes are the honest upgrade.
Floreana and Española have no airport at all, so there are no flights to Floreana. You fly into Baltra, head to Puerto Ayora on Santa Cruz and take a boat of roughly two hours, or join a day tour. Española is reached only by boat. For most land-based trips, the inter-island ferries do the job just fine.
Fees and Paperwork Around Your Flight
Two payments bracket the flight. Before check-in on the mainland you buy the $20 Transit Control Card (TCC) — keep it, you’ll show it again on the way home. When you land, you pay the $200 national park fee in cash. Both are explained in our Galapagos National Park entrance fee guide, and current entry rules are published by the Galápagos park authority.
Questions I Get All the Time
Can you fly directly to the Galápagos Islands?
No. No international flights land in Galápagos. You fly into Quito or Guayaquil on the mainland first, then take a domestic flight of about two hours to Baltra or San Cristóbal.
Which airlines fly to the Galápagos?
LATAM and Avianca, from Quito and Guayaquil to Baltra (GPS) and San Cristóbal (SCY). Equair used to fly the route too, but it stopped all operations in September 2023.
How much are flights to the Galápagos Islands?
Round-trip fares from the mainland typically run $300–$500 for foreign visitors, and can pass $600 in peak season or at the last minute. Add the $20 Transit Control Card and the $200 national park fee.
Why are flights to Galápagos so expensive?
A two-hour hop costs this much because there are only a handful of daily flights, just two airlines competing, and a separate fare class for non-residents. Booking two to three months ahead is the simplest way to pay less.
How long is the flight to the Galápagos Islands?
About 2 hours 10 minutes nonstop from Quito and just under 2 hours from Guayaquil. Some Quito departures stop in Guayaquil on the way, which adds ground time. Flights to Galapagos leave in the morning, so plan on half a day of travel.
Can you fly to Galápagos from Peru, Costa Rica or the US?
Not directly. Every route to the islands goes through Quito or Guayaquil, so from Lima, San José or any US city you connect on the mainland first — often with a night there to be safe.
Are there flights to Floreana Island?
No. Floreana has no airport. You fly to Baltra, transfer to Puerto Ayora on Santa Cruz and take a boat of roughly two hours, or join a day tour. Española has no airport either and is reached only by boat.
Can you fly between the Galápagos Islands?
Yes, on small planes run by EMETEBE between Baltra, San Cristóbal and Isabela. Expect roughly $175 and up per leg for foreign visitors and a strict luggage limit. Most land-based travelers use the inter-island ferries instead.
What documents do I need to board a flight to Galápagos?
Your passport and the Transit Control Card (TCC), which you buy for $20 at the Quito or Guayaquil airport before check-in. Keep it for the flight home. The $200 national park fee is paid in cash when you land.
Should I book Galápagos flights separately or with a tour?
Either works. Booking the island leg through your operator makes sure you land at the right airport for your itinerary and that transfers line up. Book your international flights yourself for the best fares.
Final Thoughts from the Islands
After booking these flights for guests hundreds of times, here’s my honest take: flights to Galapagos are the part people overthink and then barely remember. Pick the airport that matches your first island, book two to three months out on LATAM or Avianca, leave a buffer on the mainland and carry cash for the park fee. Do that, and the first thing you’ll notice on arrival won’t be the terminal — it’ll be a sea lion asleep on the dock. Rather not juggle it yourself? We can line up the flights, transfers and a 5-day Santa Cruz land tour in one go — and for the rest of your planning list, start with our Galápagos Islands travel guide.
